Help with a hammerless double barrel teardown

[ssgross]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

What the heck is that goo between the frame and the stock head??
.

my first reaction too. do be careful to fit the stock correctly before attempting to fire...when you get that far. hopefully there isn't epoxy oozing around on the inside where it shouldn't be too.

[J. A. EARLY]

When the barrels will not come off on a 12 gauge, I have found that often one can get a screwdriver in to remove the screw that is visible in your photo that retains the barrel hook, if you apply pressure as if opening the gun or trying to remove the barrels downward. Please try to use a screwdriver that fits and not bugger up that screw. Once removed you will easily have the screw in hand but do not forget there is a spring behind the hook so don't lose it when the barrels come off. Hope this helps.

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

When the barrels will not come off on a 12 gauge,...

That did the trick. I was able to remove the screw and ease the barrels off, and then reinstall the screw, with no loss of the spring.

Now, I've got the unit apart and trying to figure out the best way to clean out all of the grime. Ultrasonic cleaner? Brake clean? PB Blaster? Let it soak in Dawn dishwashing liquid? This is going to take a little time.

As for the stock, I am speaking with someone now about making a replacement stock since that one is packed full of JB Weld and has some weak spots in it.

Thanks for all the help!

[ssgross]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

best way to clean out all of the grime. Ultrasonic cleaner? Brake clean? PB Blaster? Let it soak in Dawn dishwashing liquid? going to take a little time.

After initial scrub with a stiff nylon brush to get the loose crap, use boiling water. Boil the disassembled frame and all your small parts for 30-45min. in clean water. If your tap water has high mineral content, use distilled water (grocery store). 2 things will happen 1) all the old dried lubricants that have cemented with dust/powder residue, etc. will loosen from the metal and be easily brushed away. 2) any active rust on the metal will be converted to bluing. Might take a couple iterations of scrubbing and boiling to get it all, depending on how much rust there is and how deep it is. When it comes out of the boil, let dry and brush off the loose oxide with 0000 steel wool. If you still had colorful case hardening intact, I would be more cautious in my recommendation. But this does not seem to be the case. When you are done, it will still look its proper age, but look well cared for throughout its years rather than neglected. Take a look at my lewis project for what to expect from boiling. There was beautiful twist steel barrels hiding under what looked like an unrecoverable brick of red rust. I did no refinishing at all, just boiling. For the frame, I soaked in evaporust, which also removes any trace of finish, because I have a plan for refinishing it completely.

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by Samuel Gross

After initial scrub with a stiff nylon brush to get the loose crap.....

Thank you! I did not know that process. I will admit the brake cleaner was a joke, but I knew I was going to have to find way to break the crud up. I will try this process.

[ssgross]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

Thank you! I did not know that process. I will admit the brake cleaner was a joke, but I knew I was going to have to find way to break the crud up. I will try this process.

It's the same process as slow rust bluing, but without the need for initial rusting if you already have an "actively oxidizing patina". There are lots of videos out there to watch. After conversion, it will look cruddy, and possibly still rusty. But what looks like rust will be be very loose and powdery. 0000 steel wool knocks this now loose excess oxide off, and polishes the hard layer of bluing that was formed against the metal. All this is done dry, although some insist on "wet carding" with water.

When you are all done, use a good water displacing oil. anything with rust inhibitors in it will ruin all your hard work, as the finish is quite delicate in this dry state. I have found that plain kerosene is the absolute best. Dunk your parts, or brush on liberally for a barrel and let it set for for an hour or so. Following this use clean oil (again no detergents or rust inhibitors) for your first oiling. After this initial oiling the finish is "set" and you can use whatever gun oil you like or prefer for normal maintenance down the road.

Your frame looks like it has been refinished before. You can preserve its current weathered look and "patina" with the above boiling. If it looks too neglected, you can bring up the finish just a touch with a single careful iteration of rust bluing to make the weathering and age look more uniform, without taking away aged appearance.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Let's get back to this little comment that was overlooked; "The breach opens, and ejects shells,"
Now, did you really mean to say that the shells acutally ejected out of this Trojan or did they just lift so you could grab them?

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by Larry Stauch

Let's get back to this little comment that was overlooked; "The breach opens, and ejects shells,"
Now, did you really mean to say that the shells acutally ejected out of this Trojan or did they just lift so you could grab them?

The dummy shell I used would seat, and when the barrels were opened, the shell was extended out where I could remove it. The shell did not "pop" or "fly" out. My comment was made to say the mechanism that moved the shell was operational.

[edgarspencer]

Are you related to Chris Wren, the architect?
I think he specialized in churches.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

As for the stock, I am speaking with someone now about making a replacement stock since that one is packed full of JB Weld and has some weak spots in it.

Thanks for all the help!

Sinking money into a replacement stock would be financial suicide. Maybe look around for a used stock and have it fitted. Also, I would never put the parts in any water. I usually use a Dremmel tool with a bronze wire wheel at low speed to get junk out of an action, once the floor plate and easily accessible parts are disassembled. Also, no steel wool. Frontier 45 pad for cleaning anything metal on the outside.